Differences in acting between Timothy Dalton's Bond and Daniel Craig's Bond

Getafix

BAIN123 wrote:

Just watching HH's CR now. He's dead on when he says the majority of today's audiences's don't really worry about Fleming's Bond. They probably haven't even picked up a book. It's all about leading man charisma and the ability to carry a film.

When did audiences really care about Fleming's Bond though?

acoppola

Regan wrote:

Germanlady wrote:

Oh please, now its the Media, whose fault it is, Daltoin wasn't popular with the Ladies or at all. Read your own post. If you feel, its necessary to point out, that you have met a few gals, who liked him to make your point, that says it all. I am not against him, but I am against trying to fight, what is a proven fact.
For you, whatever made him fail, its never anything to do with him, which I think, is a bit ... like I said, why not be good with him having fans as opposed to try to make him the second coming. He was not. All of the other 4 were more successful. (taking the freedom to exclude Lazenby)

What is a proven fact, exactly? That his films were the least successful? These fillms keep being praised and more often than not appear quite high in most rankings not just from diehard fans. We could go on and on about how much of a proven fact it is that TLD was so well critically received and just how many people liked and appreciated LTK for what it brought even back when it first premiered. We could play fact games all day.

Maybe what @acoppola has been trying to say is that several things led to Dalton being perceived as the "fail" you claim him to be. That is understandable... the guy only had two movies and two movies is not enough to fully establish yourself or to ease into the role with total comfort. Look at Craig, one great movie and one big dissapointment (and it's his third role that struck the balance). Third time's a charm? Perhaps. In any event, saying Dalton failed is something I consider rather too simplistic. It's just one of these regurgitated mantras most people keep repeating because they've got an uninformed impression of things from both circumstance and the media.

If you dislike Dalton so much, fair enough. It drips form your every word, and it's really rather evident just how passionately you hate his performance. I get it. Things are just a little more complex than you make them sound though, and quite a few of us have a differing opinion to yours. I respect yours, you have every right to like or dislike whoever. But that is just it, your opinion.

(thanks! @Getafix, @acoppola and @wildboonjive)

You are welcome! And well said too!

Germanlady

This belongs into the review thread, but it contains this:
http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-skyfall-represents-a-series-high-by-humanizing-the-superhuman-james-bond

The two Dalton films felt perfectly timed for the late '80s, when action films had developed a certain new sheen via Joel Silver and Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Mann, and I'm still baffled why the films didn't land bigger with audiences.


So, what this seems to say is, that his films played along what was going on in films at the time. Dunno, if that is true though.

BAIN123

Getafix wrote:

BAIN123 wrote:

Just watching HH's CR now. He's dead on when he says the majority of today's audiences's don't really worry about Fleming's Bond. They probably haven't even picked up a book. It's all about leading man charisma and the ability to carry a film.

When did audiences really care about Fleming's Bond though?

I suppose in the earlier days when the books were newer. Now it seems the films have taken over.

acoppola

chrisisall wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Your greatness as Bond is always judged after you leave the series and not during. Brosnan is a case in point.No one talks about him like they used to.

I do. He's still great, no matter what anyone says! I just prefer Dalton. And funny, my Wife says Bros is very easy on her eyes, but Dalt is the one she'd target in a crowded room to stare at ( she says Craig just looks okay).

I respect that. My point was really aimed at the praise being heaped on Craig at Brosnan's expense or the other Bonds. And that is unfair. I guess Pierce now now understands what it was like for Dalton after leaving the role. The world moves fast these days.

acoppola

acoppola wrote:

chrisisall wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Your greatness as Bond is always judged after you leave the series and not during. Brosnan is a case in point.No one talks about him like they used to.

I do. He's still great, no matter what anyone says! I just prefer Dalton. And funny, my Wife says Bros is very easy on her eyes, but Dalt is the one she'd target in a crowded room to stare at ( she says Craig just looks okay).

I respect that. My point was really aimed at the praise being heaped on Craig at Brosnan's expense or the other Bonds. And that is unfair. I guess Pierce now now understands what it was like for Dalton after leaving the role. The world moves fast these days.

acoppola

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

chrisisall

Just for comparison, here's how much I like all the actors (at their best) based on Dalton being a 10:

TD- 10
PB- 8
SC- 8
DC- 8
RM- 7
GL- 6

BAIN123

I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back.

People like NicNac aren't bashing Dalton because he was trying to bring Bond back to Fleming. Heck the man deserves respect for that. Moreover they're bashing him because he doesn't have the charisma which the role requires - and the fact that he was reduced to appearing in very minor/lightweight roles since suggests this.

You'd have thought a man of Dalton's background would be in more meaty challenging parts.

acoppola

NicNac wrote:

Mother wrote:

Don't get me wrong - Craig is good but not as Bond. I simply can't imagine him as a commander in the British Navy. The guy has serious problems with discipline. He's just an action hero but not Bond. To quote M: "a blunt instrument".

Now have a look at the Dalton Bond. He is serious, he can be brutal, he bleeds yet he's a distinguished, eloquent gentleman with a sense of humour. And to say the truth - Dalton's acting abilities greatly surpass those of Craig's. Bond's seriousness was a downside in the late 80s but is his strength right now. Too bad for Dalton. He's the most underrated Bond.

Well, when I went to see Bond when TD took over I can assure you everyone was ready for a serious Bond. Dalton simply wasn't a big screen leading man. I'm sure his subsequent career would have been more distinguished if he had been.
But as I say, a serious Bond was an exciting prospect. Calling Craig a Bond 'with serious problems with discipline' after enduring the crazed antics of LTK, is quite....interesting. Both actors play Bond like he is a man living on the edge, but to miss the humour in Craig's Bond just because he chooses a more subtle approach is a shame. All the Bonds have humour, some less pronounced.

In my eyes Craig is twice the actor Dalton is. Both have great reputations and excellent CVs, but Craig has subtlety that screen acting requires. Watch his smaller independent films, or some of his TV work.

I understand why people can't accept him as Bond, I really can. But to lead a film with a cast like SF has, and not be overwhelmed for one second is proof of Craig's abilities.

I have to disagree strongly. Have you seen Dalton act on stage or in Jane Eyre?. He is a powerful actor and has screen presence. I have seen Daniel Craig in some tv series and he is not twice the actor Dalton is. For starters they are different styles. It would be like comparing The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin.

And the big star argument is poor. There are a lot of great actors that have bad runs in the film industry. And when you get type cast as Bond some better roles elude you. Now that was especially true many years ago.

Look at John Travolta when he was cast by Tarantino in Pulp Fiction. Until that point he was going nowhere. And it made him a huge star. Same for Samuel L Jackson. And let's not forget that despite Anthony Hokpins being a great actor for years, he did not make it big until much later in his career with Silence Of The Lambs.

Craig is carrying Skyfall? Eon and Sony have cast big name actors to attract as wide an audience as possible. Sam Mendes is very famous and that attracts kudos. They are taking no risk. Had Dalton had the same meticulous backing Craig has now then you would see a different animal. When he was playing Bond, there were a lot of business issues lurking behind the scenes that lead to the halting of production on his third film. Craig would not have fared better in those circumstances and bear in mind that Craig has the benefit of hindsight.He knew what will work and what audiences hated about some Bond's.

With every film with Craig there has been a new director to keep things fresh. And the charisma can be forced. Dalton could easily mimick the traditional Bond persona but chose to play him as a real spy.

wildboonjive

BAIN123 wrote:

Moreover they're bashing him because he doesn't have the charisma which the role requires - and the fact that he was reduced to appearing in very minor/lightweight roles since suggests this.

You'd have thought a man of Dalton's background would be in more meaty challenging parts.

I love Dalton very much, but this is a fair point you bring up.

Getafix

I understand that his Mr Rochester made quite an impression at the time and he was considered quite the heart throb.

acoppola

The charisma people are saying Dalton lacked are wrong. He has it and used it in Framed opposite Penelope Cruz. He played and played being the operative word Bond as someone who would not stand out too much. It was brave considering there was no guarantee of getting positive reactions. Better try than to take the path of least resistance.

Dalton said he wanted to go back to a flirtier Bond in his unmade third film. Dalton was subtle and underplayed the suaveness because Roger over used it too much.

Craig's charisma was worked on for the part by Martin Campbell. Campbell knew when to amplify it to satisfy audience approval. Craig is not naturally charismatic and it shows in interviews. Damn, if all Bonds were the same, the series would be dull. Bond has many aspects to his character and the charisma was added to the cinematic version. But in the books he is a cold, blander character.

Signed_By_RogerMoore

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

So you ignore the rest of Octopussy and focus on that? Ridiculous. Octopussy is one of the very best Bond films of all time. Terrific in every way. Yes, the Tarzan scene was bad but it was what like 5 seconds in the whole film...hardly going to detract from it. This OP bashing is prevalent on this forum and I am genuinely confused why?

If Craig had been in Octopussy and have the exact same story and script, people and the press would rave over it. Fact

Getafix

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

So you ignore the rest of Octopussy and focus on that? Ridiculous. Octopussy is one of the very best Bond films of all time. Terrific in every way. Yes, the Tarzan scene was bad but it was what like 5 seconds in the whole film...hardly going to detract from it. This OP bashing is prevalent on this forum and I am genuinely confused why?

If Craig had been in Octopussy and have the exact same story and script, people and the press would rave over it. Fact

Actually I am not sure Craig would have been able to do OP.

I agree it's one of the best in the series, and Roger's performance, as ever, is very under appreciated.

acoppola

Getafix wrote:

I understand that his Mr Rochester made quite an impression at the time and he was considered quite the heart throb.

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

So you ignore the rest of Octopussy and focus on that? Ridiculous. Octopussy is one of the very best Bond films of all time. Terrific in every way. Yes, the Tarzan scene was bad but it was what like 5 seconds in the whole film...hardly going to detract from it. This OP bashing is prevalent on this forum and I am genuinely confused why?

If Craig had been in Octopussy and have the exact same story and script, people and the press would rave over it. Fact

Well could you imagine watching a spy thriller and having an Austin Powers moment undermine the tension. Moments like that were the wrong direction and damage the reputation of the series. Octopussy had other scenes that spoil the serious elements built up. Sean Connery did humour but was subtler about it.

A lot of Moore's films over depended on the jokes and they are seen as parodies. I liked them as a boy but as I grew older they became dated. I snooze through TSWLM now. Great film when I was 15 though!

I am not saying Moore did not have his moments.My favourite Moore film is Live And Let Die. But I love Guy Hamilton's style a lot as well as the villains.

acoppola

Getafix wrote:

I understand that his Mr Rochester made quite an impression at the time and he was considered quite the heart throb.

Absolutely. He is amazing in that.

Signed_By_RogerMoore

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

I understand that his Mr Rochester made quite an impression at the time and he was considered quite the heart throb.

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

So you ignore the rest of Octopussy and focus on that? Ridiculous. Octopussy is one of the very best Bond films of all time. Terrific in every way. Yes, the Tarzan scene was bad but it was what like 5 seconds in the whole film...hardly going to detract from it. This OP bashing is prevalent on this forum and I am genuinely confused why?

If Craig had been in Octopussy and have the exact same story and script, people and the press would rave over it. Fact

Well could you imagine watching a spy thriller and having an Austin Powers moment undermine the tension. Moments like that were the wrong direction and damage the reputation of the series. Octopussy had other scenes that spoil the serious elements built up. Sean Connery did humour but was subtler about it.

A lot of Moore's films over depended on the jokes and they are seen as parodies. I liked them as a boy but as I grew older they became dated. I snooze through TSWLM now. Great film when I was 15 though!

I am not saying Moore did not have his moments.My favourite Moore film is Live And Let Die. But I love Guy Hamilton's style a lot as well as the villains.

What other scenes? Octopussy gets some harsh stick and I just do not understand it. I don't have a problem with the jungle chase, its tense and pays homage to The Most Dangerous Game and to see Bond looking agitated is terrific. Same with the clown scene...it's a brilliant disguise and, most importantly, Moore does nothing "comedic" in it.

Parodies? Like what FRWL and GF were/are? Like how every James Bond film is. And to snooze through TSWLM?!?! I choked on my tea!

You end your post well by praising LALD though ;)

chrisisall

At his best Moore was fantastic. OP was a great movie, and TMWTGG is highly underrated. Neither Craig nor Dalton could raise an eyebrow to Moore.
;)

Getafix

Octopussy has some of the most tense scenes in any Bond film. Tarzan apart, the jungle chase is great and an excellent example of what I was talking about before - the odds should always be stacked against Bond.

acoppola

I admit Octopussy had some amazing moments. But the need for excessive comedy made it in parts look like a Carry On Bond film. And that hurt the overall movie. I love comedy but it did not suit the tone of the film's dramatic and story elements.

I loved Diamonds Are Forever. But that film never takes itself seriously and the comedic elements from Sean are powerful. The problem with Octopussy is that it tries to do dead serious and then you have scenes for example where Bond is India where he is trying to escape pursuers in that taxi-like vehicle is another example of the wrong tone for the film.

acoppola

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

I understand that his Mr Rochester made quite an impression at the time and he was considered quite the heart throb.

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Getafix wrote:

Regan is a very welcome new member of the Daltonites.

I just watched HaphazardStuff's CR review and as usual I agreed with pretty much everything he said (does he just copy and paste from my posts... Hmmm.)

First of all, before the negative stuff, I like DC a lot and have enjoyed both his performances so far (looking forward to seeing SF when I get a chance too).

But as HH points out he can be a little bit too indestructible. And there are a few sequences, like where he uses the digger in the CR chase where you feel more for the bad guy than you do for Bond. That's not actually Craig's fault and is more down to script and direction, but I think it's something they need to watch. Same with the digger on the train in the Skyfall trailer. It makes Bond into the relentless unstoppable machine, when that part should be played by the villain's henchmen.

And as HH also points out, Dalts was doing all this 'edgy' Bond stuff decades ago.

Any way, a minor quibble with what is generally an excellent, commanding take on Bond.

That said, I still love Dalts, particularly in TLD. May be I will change my mind after seeing SF but right now Dalts still has the edge. Dalts and Craig are in a battle for 3rd place IMO.

Gee, I hope I am perceived as a Dalton fan too! I think he got an unfair bashing for doing nothing more than adding Bond's credibility back. I liked Roger Moore but the Tarzan scene in Octopussy was another nail in the coffin of the franchise at the time. And he should not have done A View To A Kill as he was past his prime.

:-h

So you ignore the rest of Octopussy and focus on that? Ridiculous. Octopussy is one of the very best Bond films of all time. Terrific in every way. Yes, the Tarzan scene was bad but it was what like 5 seconds in the whole film...hardly going to detract from it. This OP bashing is prevalent on this forum and I am genuinely confused why?

If Craig had been in Octopussy and have the exact same story and script, people and the press would rave over it. Fact

Well could you imagine watching a spy thriller and having an Austin Powers moment undermine the tension. Moments like that were the wrong direction and damage the reputation of the series. Octopussy had other scenes that spoil the serious elements built up. Sean Connery did humour but was subtler about it.

A lot of Moore's films over depended on the jokes and they are seen as parodies. I liked them as a boy but as I grew older they became dated. I snooze through TSWLM now. Great film when I was 15 though!

I am not saying Moore did not have his moments.My favourite Moore film is Live And Let Die. But I love Guy Hamilton's style a lot as well as the villains.

What other scenes? Octopussy gets some harsh stick and I just do not understand it. I don't have a problem with the jungle chase, its tense and pays homage to The Most Dangerous Game and to see Bond looking agitated is terrific. Same with the clown scene...it's a brilliant disguise and, most importantly, Moore does nothing "comedic" in it.

Parodies? Like what FRWL and GF were/are? Like how every James Bond film is. And to snooze through TSWLM?!?! I choked on my tea!

You end your post well by praising LALD though ;)

My favourite Moore films are LALD as well as TMWTGG and FYEO. The first two I could watch every day. They are amazing and so enjoyable. I like Moore's Bond immensely in those. Guy Hamilton is great with style and I love his Bond direction.

acoppola

chrisisall wrote:

At his best Moore was fantastic. OP was a great movie, and TMWTGG is highly underrated. Neither Craig nor Dalton could raise an eyebrow to Moore.
;)

TMWTGG is a classic Bond. One of my favourites and Christopher Lee is outstanding. To be honest, I would take that film over Casino Royale to a desert island. I admit that some of the old Bond films are masterpieces visually and the wit was incredible. No doubt.

I doubt we will see that ever again but they sure had charm and were family friendly. Casino Royale was depressing in parts and the torture scene was a bit too horror filmish in style. The book version of the torture scene is more realistic in the novel CR.

Getafix

acoppola wrote:

chrisisall wrote:

At his best Moore was fantastic. OP was a great movie, and TMWTGG is highly underrated. Neither Craig nor Dalton could raise an eyebrow to Moore.
;)

TMWTGG is a classic Bond. One of my favourites and Christopher Lee is outstanding. To be honest, I would take that film over Casino Royale to a desert island. I admit that some of the old Bond films are masterpieces visually and the wit was incredible. No doubt.

Yes the scripts were full of wit that we can only dream of. Although people are saying SF is good so may be Logan has worked some magic.

chrisisall

acoppola wrote:

TMWTGG is a classic Bond. One of my favourites and Christopher Lee is outstanding. To be honest, I would take that film over Casino Royale to a desert island.

Actually, so would I. But then TMWTGG is my favourite Moore film, and CR is not my favourite Craig one....

acoppola

Getafix wrote:

acoppola wrote:

chrisisall wrote:

At his best Moore was fantastic. OP was a great movie, and TMWTGG is highly underrated. Neither Craig nor Dalton could raise an eyebrow to Moore.
;)

TMWTGG is a classic Bond. One of my favourites and Christopher Lee is outstanding. To be honest, I would take that film over Casino Royale to a desert island. I admit that some of the old Bond films are masterpieces visually and the wit was incredible. No doubt.

Yes the scripts were full of wit that we can only dream of.

So true. I miss those. I watched LALD the other day and it was incredible. Probably my favourite Bond Villains ever. Kananga is cool.

But I have to say DAF made me fall off my chair with laughter. The one liners are just killer. I mean when Bond comes out of the coffin and says "Now don't tell me! You're Saint Peter?".

The newer Bonds have a different script style and the humour will never match the charm of the classics. Still love Dalton's films because they have that association to the classic era with Richard Maibaum as well as Cubby Broccoli. They are old school Bond in parts and I love that. The Q scene in LTK is classic Bond and Desmond Llewelyn is at his best. Dalton is very funny in that and has good chemistry with Desmond. I love the "Hope you don't snore Q!" one liner as Pam rejects him for suspecting he is having an affair with Lupe who is Sanchez's girlfriend.

Signed_By_RogerMoore

Though in the wrong thread, am loving this Octopussy love in @acoppola @chrisisall @Getafix

It's just brilliant. It really really is. Moore was perfect for it and in it. Can't fault it

acoppola

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

Though in the wrong thread, am loving this Octopussy love in @acoppola @chrisisall @Getafix

It's just brilliant. It really really is. Moore was perfect for it and in it. Can't fault it

Had they toned down the comedy, I would probably prefer Octopussy to FYEO. But I admit OP has some stunning moments and Roger can do serious very well. Even Dalton said that about him. Roger can act and is just as interesting when he plays the role straight.

Getafix

acoppola wrote:

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

Though in the wrong thread, am loving this Octopussy love in @acoppola @chrisisall @Getafix

It's just brilliant. It really really is. Moore was perfect for it and in it. Can't fault it

Had they toned down the comedy, I would probably prefer Octopussy to FYEO. But I admit OP has some stunning moments and Roger can do serious very well. Even Dalton said that about him. Roger can act and is just as interesting when he plays the role straight.

In my book Roger gave us some of the best 'serious' moments in the series. It's actually the contrast in his performance that gives his darker moments real edge.

I remember moments in OP, especially towards the end, with real fondness. They're thrilling and chilling. Rog in his clown suit trying to reach the bomb is poignant and gripping. Not sure any other Bond could have carried that scene off, but Roger does and it works brilliantly. You really feel he is in danger on the train sequence and in fear of his life as the knife wielding circus guys stalk him down. Brilliant.

We shouldn't be surprised though. He did go to RADA, don't you know!

acoppola

Getafix wrote:

acoppola wrote:

Signed_By_RogerMoore wrote:

Though in the wrong thread, am loving this Octopussy love in @acoppola @chrisisall @Getafix

It's just brilliant. It really really is. Moore was perfect for it and in it. Can't fault it

Had they toned down the comedy, I would probably prefer Octopussy to FYEO. But I admit OP has some stunning moments and Roger can do serious very well. Even Dalton said that about him. Roger can act and is just as interesting when he plays the role straight.

In my book Roger gave us some of the best 'serious' moments in the series. It's actually the contrast in his performance that gives his darker moments real edge.

I remember moments in OP, especially towards the end, with real fondness. They're thrilling and chilling. Rog in his clown suit trying to reach the bomb is poignant and gripping. Not sure any other Bond could have carried that scene off, but Roger does and it works brilliantly. You really feel he is in danger on the train sequence and in fear of his life as the knife wielding circus guys stalk him down. Brilliant.

We shouldn't be surprised though. He did go to RADA, don't you know!

Oh Roger can act and does the dead pan Bond well. I enjoy him for what he brought to the franchise but perhaps they made Roger more of a Bond that children could watch. But I am a Bond fan that can enjoy each actor for their merits though Lazenby was no actor.

Sometimes I get off put by the needless bashing of this Bond over that Bond. They are all of their time. Sadly whenever a new Bond gets cast, at some point the media as well as some fans will try to destroy the work of the previous Bond. Pierce too had some great moments and his first two films were super fine. He had the worst script writers that made some of Bond's pyschological dialogue come across amateurish.

And they failed to fully explore Brosnan's darker side of Bond. Too many one liners and they tried to make him too smooth without the rough edges he needs. I mean Christmas Jones as a character takes away any credibility that the movie tried to build up.

And what I like about both Pierce and Tim is that they have those dark features of Bond in the books. I prefer it when Bond actors are more supportive of each others contribution. That makes me like them more. And Pierce said good things about Tim later in his Bond career.